CHAPTER 1: Introduction
- High Earnings
to Professional
Salesmanship
Importance of Selling
- Many talented professionals have not
advanced in their career because they have
failed to recognize and accept the selling
aspect as part of their work.
- All business is selling
- Every Employee is a Salesperson
Concept of Professional Salesmanship
- Before, prospects regard salespeople as
“makulit” and “mapilit”
- Now, salespeople are redefined. Eg.
-Medical representatives are now called -
pharmaceutical experts
-Life insurance agents are called financial advisors
-Real estate agents are now Real Estate brokers
Professional Salesmanship is an art of selling goods
and services from the company (seller) to
prospective buyers by providing them information
and motivates them to make favorable buying
decisions.
Myths of Selling (10)
- Salespeople are born, not made
- Good salespeople are good talkers
- Good salesperson can sell anything
- Good salesperson can sell to anyone
- Selling is fun (Traveling, Wining and Dining)
- Good salesperson never takes “No” for an
answer
- The Locker Room Syndrome
- Selling is a bag of tricks – “experience”
- People don’t want to buy
o Salespeople must not sell their
products because of their selling
talents, but rather because the
market needed and wanted what
they are selling
- The Get Rich Quick Illusion
Characteristics of a Sales Career (5)
- Flexible Time with Less Supervision
- Challenging Job
- Ability to Get Recognized
- Working Condition
Methods of Evaluating Performance of
Salesperson
1. Evaluation by Sales Target
- Can be on the basis of units to be sold or
based on the value of sales
- The ff. must be considered:
o Target must not be rigid and not
impossible to attain
o Must be reasonable
o Take into account the past records,
market potentials etc.
o The incentives to be given to the
salesmen shall be linked to the
targets
Advantages of Fixing Sales Targets
1. Fixing sales target enables the salesman to
work according to a plan
2. It provides a basis for the evaluation of the
salesman’s performance
3. It is possible to coordinate production and
sales
4. It does not allow any salesman to be
insincere or careless
5. It enables efficient salesperson to earn
more by way of incentives by attaining the
target each time
Disadvantages in Setting Sales Targets
1. It is difficult to evolve a basis upon which
the target may be set.
2. Certain unpredictable changes in the
market conditions may render the targets
unrealistic
 3. The same target cannot be set for all
salesmen as the potentials of each person
and each market differ
4. Some salesmen are capable of doing much
more than the target set for them. Thus,
sales targets limit the initiative
5. The target cannot be rigid. What was
possible last year may not be possible this
year. Therefore, the target needs to be
revised periodically
2. Evaluating by Sales Territory
Advantages
1. Enables the business to cover the entire
market more effectively
2. Makes it possible for the salesman
concerned to maintain good rapport with
the clients in his area.
3. It is possible to compare the progress in
sales in each territory
4. It also gives scope to compare the
performance of salesmen working for
different territories
5. It avoids duplication of work by salesmen in
the same area
6. It also helps to have knowledge of the
extent of competition in each area.
7. Intense competition may require more
funds for sales promotion
Factors to be considered in establishing sales
territories
1. The sales territory should be so determined
that it should be possible for an average
salesman to cover it within the stipulated
time.
2. Having a particular sales territory should be
profitable for the business.
3. It should be also give scope for the
salesman to undertake any promotional
campaign
4. Each salesman shall, as far as possible, be
allotted not more than one territory
5. Each territory should be subject to
periodical review. Additional manpower or
finance may be provided depending upon
the requirements.
3. Evaluating Sales Report
- salesmen are bound to prepare reports on
the progress of their work and forward the
same to their organization for necessary
action.
Contents of Sales Report- contain information on
the names and addresses of the customers, the
orders received or to be received from them, the
terms of the deal, preferences of the buyers, the
action required on the order from the organization,
etc.
CHAPTER 2: Sales
Personality
Sales Personality
- It is the totality of all the salesman’s
physical, emotional, psychological, social
and intellectual traits that is deemed to be
necessary in building a trusting relationship
with clients.
- Essential to manage a successful and build
loyalty for the product or
service pitched by the salesperson
Importance of Sales Personality
- It is the first step in building trust and
confidence with them
- It is developed through personality training
and is sponsored by the company for their
salesman.
- It serves as a company investment
Sales Personality Traits
 Physical Traits

- Appearance –(decent clothes, proper
grooming)
o Proper poise and posture
- Voice, Speaking Habits, and Language Used
o Voice, pitches, tone. Should have
the enthusiasm and warmth to gain
believability.
 o Should be careful in language they
use. Should speak within the
language of the prospect to gain
trust.
- Manners and Mannerisms
 Emotional Traits
- Self-control and temperament
- Not taking things too personal
- Being emotionally stable
 Psychological Traits
- Determination- you cannot allow
negative responses affect you in
anyway rather than positively
- Dependability-delivering what is
promised
- Humility-focus on the fine points of
the sale, without boastful claims
 Social Traits
- Enables the salesperson to say or do the
right thing that facilitates social interaction
with the prospect.
- Tact- dealing with sensitive prospects
- Laughing at the right time
- Self-confidence
- Cheerfulness
Developing Your Personality
1. Coachability
2. Winning Attitude and Behavior- Pressure
and past failures are hindrances to self-
improvement
3. Plan
Attitude Required for Salespeople
- One needs to have adequate
knowledge of the domain
- Be proficient in the skills
- Have the right attitude
1. Confident
2. Determined
3. Visionary
4. Friendly
5. Accountable
6. Optimistic- chooses to see new
opportunities even in the worst
situations
Other Attributes of a Good Salesman
Good Salesmanship is not about never losing a sale.
It’s about learning from every lost sale and never
letting history repeat itself in that arena.
1. Deliver more than you promise
2. Make mistakes, but learn to profit
from them.
3. Have an aim
**Good Salesmanship is a combination of the
elements of persuasion, creativity, education and
the ideal of mutual benefits.
A quality salesman must have a good
knowledge of products (special features and uses),
knowledge about customers (nature, types, habits
and buying motives)
a. Technique of selling and terms and
conditions of the sale- delivery, prices,
packing, credit facilities available etc.
b. He must have ample familiarity with
sales promotion activities such as
distribution of samples, coupons,
premiums, exhibitions and clearance
sales
c. The objectives must remain to properly
introduce new products, win new
customers, and to improve public image
of the company
d. Personal and moral qualities of
honesty, integrity, loyalty are a must.
e. A good salesman is one who
demonstrates helpfulness to both the
sellers and the buyers.
f. Building rapport is important in dealing
with prospects. Make them feel
comfortable while having business with
you so they can trust you with their
business.
g. A desire to truly help customers.
Prospect can feel if the salesperson is
only after his commission. A
 professional salesperson put first the
welfare of his prospects by providing
him/her the products and services they
needed.
h. A never ending desire to learn more
and grow in his selling skills. A
good salesperson should continuously
improve in the field of selling by acquiring
additional knowledge through trainings,
seminars, and field experiences. If the
salesperson stops to learn, he cannot
respond to the changing prospects attitude
and selling environment.
CHAPTER 3: Knowing
One’s Company and
the Competitors
Importance of Company Knowledge
Salesperson should know everything about
the company he or she connected with.
Company’s reputation – prospect interest
7 COMPANY’S INFROMATION THAT A
SALESMAN SHOULD KNOW
(HOTC, CBA, MAFA, CP, PP, RAD, SADP)
1. History of the company – salesperson
should know about the conception and
earlier years of his or her company.
2. Company’s business area – the prospect
is always inclined to know where he or she
can transact business or make a follow-up.
3. Management and Financial aspect – the
existence and stability of the company lies
on the people who manage the company
wisely.
4. Competitive position – the salesperson
must be able to address the competitive
position of his or her company.
5. Production process – there will be
clients who will raise their concerns
regarding the price.
6. Research and development – the
transition of product from old to its new
form is very important to customers.
7. Service and distribution policies - the
game of the business is service. Salesman
must be avail to convey the company’s
service facility they offer such us
installation, delivery and many more.
Distribution process must be disclosed or
discussed.
3 IMPORTANCE OF KNOWING ONCE’S
COMPETITOR
(LFTM, MWWFT, & STOR)
1. Learn from their mistakes – In today’s digital
world, corporations, small businesses aren’t able to
hide behind constructed brand identities like they
could before.
SOCIAL MEDIA – an easy place to search to see
what people are saying about the competitor.
2. Model what works for them – research as well
for what’s working really well for the competitor.
3. Spot the opportunities revealed – the
competitors’ move most often than not reveal their
target market segment and the type of customers
they are trying to attract.
6 BENCHMARKING WITH THE
COMPETIOTOR
(ITCA, HATM, WATSAPE, WATP, HITICWY,
& WACR)
1. Identify their competitive advantage –
Are they faster, more affordable, better
than you are? What about their approach?
2. How are they marketing -
3. What about their sources and product
expenses?
4. What about their people?
5. How is their image compared with
yours?
6. What about customer retention?

CHAPTER 4: Product
Knowledge
Importance of Product Knowledge
Prospects demand proper solution to
their problem. The salesperson should be
able to identify which product or services
fits to the needs of his or her prospects.
- Professional Salesmanship- it is
more of identifying the problem of
your client and be able to give the
best solution through your product.
- One wrong product
recommendation will lose the sale
- To sell quality, you must know what
quality is
- Product knowledge develops self-
confidence.
5 PRODUCT INFORMATION THAT A
SALESMAN MUST KNOW
(PM, SF, DD, PLAD & TD)
1. Production Methods – more than
knowing the tangible product, the sales
person must know how this product is
being processed.
2. Service Facilities - critical in many sales
is the availability of servicing facilities.
3. Distribution and Delivery – distribution
and pricing policies must be known by
the salesperson, specifically the
discounts available, terms of sale, where
it is bought. Salesperson must know the
product should be delivered to the
client.
4. Product Lines and Differentiation - the
company has different product
offerings. Salesman must know the
complementary or related products to
give the prospect better option. Must
understand the distinct features,
advantages, and benefits of each
product.
5. Technical Details - for industrial product,
this pertains to the different materials the
product is made of.
7 SOURCES OF PRODUCT KNOWLEDGE
(PE, SAFS, SM, SB, SP, PV, MAC)
1. Personal Experience – first and perhaps
the most important source of acquiring
product knowledge.
- experience of handling prospect queries
makes the salesman competent in providing
convincing answers.
2. Senior and Fellow Salesmen - a great
deal of product knowledge can be acquired
by consulting the employer, senior
salesmen and fellow salesmen.
3. Sales Manual - generally furnished by the
company for the purpose of reference by
the sales force.
4. Sales Bulletins - in order to provide
additional and up-to-date information
about the products, sales bulletins are
published by the company.
5. Salesman’s Portfolio – AKA sales
portfolio usually given to dealers.
SALES MANUAL AND BULLENTIN – exclusively
made for the company’s sales force
6. Plant Visits - most often manufactures
arrange the visit of sales force to the
factories to gain first-hand product
knowledge.
7. Meetings and Conferences - company
arrange meetings and conferences of the
salesmen at regular intervals.
4 BENEFITS OF PRODUCT KNOWLEDGE
Knowledge is power and for the sales force,
product knowledge can be the vehicle to increased
sales.
(SCS, BE, GC, & AIOO)
1. Strengthen Communication Skills – a
thorough and wider understanding of a
product enables a salesperson to use
different techniques and method in
presenting to various types of customers.
2. Boosts Enthusiasm – armed with deep
product knowledge, a display of enthusiasm
and belief in the product may generate
excitement among the customers and
alleviate uncertainty about the solution that
the product provides for the customer.
3. Grows Confidence - is a customer isn’t
fully committed to completing a sale, the
difference may simply be the presence of
credibility of confidence a salesperson has
toward the product.
4. Assists in Overcoming Objections –
factual information gained from product
knowledge may be used to explain or
enlighten about certain objections voiced
by customers.